Typewriting-machine



A G. F. KUROWSKI.

TYPEWRITING MACHIINE. APPLICATION man DEC-8.1916- Patented May 18, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

1 '|NVENT,OR= o d%mm BY ATTORNEY.

WITN ESSElS A. G. F. KUROWSKI.

TYPEWRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 13. 1916.

Patented May 18, 1920.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

INVENTOR= WITNESSES A. G. F. KUROWSKI.

TYPEWRITING MACHENE.

APPLICATION FILED 050.13. 1916.

1,340,488, I Patented May 18, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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01? nnoonnrmnnw Y'XBBK, ASSIGNQE Ti) UETDEBWOOD GGMPAN'Z, @F NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPOJRA'IIQIN 9F DELKWABE.

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Specification of Letters Patent. Patg mib gd May 18, 1920.

Application filed December is, 1916. serial No. mates.

To all whom it m y concern:

Be it known that l, ALFRED G. F. KUROW- em, a subject of the Emperor of Germany,

but having takenout United States naturalization papers, residing in Brooklyn borough, in the county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Typewriting-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to/a combined line gage and work-sheet holder, and more especially to one adapted to maintainthe same relative position with respect to the platen in both upper and lower-case positions of the latter, and also to handle stiff workmembers such as index or show cards.

According to the present invention, where it is desired to write on the extreme bottom of a work-member, such as a show card or index card, it has been found feasible to use v the regular line gage in holding the workmember snug on the platen. In order that the combined line gage and holder may shift with the carriage in moving to uppercase position, it is loosely connected to the platen shift frame to move with the latter, as it adjusts the position of the platen. The

line gage is guided in its movement at a point comparatively near its holding edge and also at a point distant from th'esame, so that it will have a substantial rectilinear movement. In order to permit this vertical; movement and hold the work-member posiw tively on the platen, the lower guidingmeans is formed of a roller bearing to minimize the friction. This roller bearing engages in a-channel in the supporting mechanism for the line gage, so as to guide and restrain against lateral movement. as well as back and forth movement.

While the line gage holds the workmeniber snug on the platen at the line of writing, it is sometimes necessary with an especially stiff card to prevent the, latter from springing away from the platen, by holding it at points above the line of writing. For this purpose, there are provided a pair'of holding or guiding fingers which may be used or not, as the circumstances require. They are adjustably mounted on the line gage, so that they can be shifted between concealed inactive positions and ex- Fig.

posed active positions. Provision is made for automatically locking the fingers in either position of adjustment.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

in the accompanying drawings,

Figure .1 is a vertical section taken from -.front to rear, showing the general relation of for maintaining a wor -member in engagement with the platen, at a point considerably above the line of writing.

F ig. 3 is a skeletonperspective view showing the case-shift mechanism and the relation of the'combined line gage and bolder thereto. In this view, the holding fingers are shown in their upright active positions, while the platen and'line gage are shown in their lower-case positions.

Fig. tis a vertical section from front to rear of-the case-shift mechanism, and the combined card holder and a line gage, showing the platen and the line gage in their upper-case positions.

F ig. 5 is a horizontal section. on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4, giving an idea of the manner of connecting the plate to the two wings of the line gage and holder.

6 is a spread perspective'view showing the details of one-half of thecombined line gage and'work-member holder. The parts being disassembled one from the other, to brin out more clearly their nature,

is a horizontal section through one of the wing scales and the holding finger connected to the same, showing the holding finger in its depressed inactive position.

F ig, 8 is a front view elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 7. The scale, however,

being but outlined to expose the parts be-' hind the same.

Fig. 9 is a similar view of Fig. 8, except that the finger is raised to its active posithat the holding finger is shown raised in the act 30f holding a stifi card against springing away from ing.

Referring more particularly to the specific parts of this invention as embodied in the form shown in the drawings,- 1 indicates numeral and alphabet. keys, which, when actuated, depress key levers 2, to rock bell cranks 3, to swing type-bars 4 up rearwardly against the front side of a platen 5, mounted to rotate on aplaten frame 6. The platen frame 6 is adjustably mounted on 'a carriage 7, which travels back and forth on a frame 8. The usual escapement mechanism 9, controlled by the keys 1, is usedto advance the carriage step by step in letter-feeding direction. he platen frame 6 is adjustable vertically on the. carriage 7, so as to admit of a change in printing from lower-case to upper-case characters and back again, the

type-bars 4 being provided with two sets of characters 16 and 11 alternatively effective,

according to the lower or uppercase positions of the platen.

In order to adjust the platen between upperand lower-case positions, there are provided two case-shift keys 12, one active when held depressed, and the other capable of being locked in its depressed position for any desired period. These keys 12, when j depressed, rock key levers 13, to swing forward arms 14 thereon, so that the latter will rock a shift frame 15 forwardly and upwardly. The shift frame 15 is provided with a shift rail 16, on which rest rollers 17 carried by the platen frame 6. The platen frame 6 is further guided in -its vertical movement by arms 18 pivoted at 19 and engaging pins 20 on the platen frame 6. The pins 20 and the rollers 17 are so located that they will cause a substantially vertical movement of the platen 5, or, at least, such that the cylindrical element forming the line of printing, in any particular instance will move to an upper-case position, substantially superposed above its lowercase position.

In order that the typewriting may be justified, both as to the line of writing and along the line of writing,-there is provided a line gage 21, which includes a pair of wing scales 22 spaced apart from each other,

to admit of the type-bars 4 striking the work-sheet between them. These wingsv are The line gage 21 may also serve the fun c tion of holding a work-member snug on the platen at the line of writing. To do this,

,the wings 22- are adjustably mounted on a common member and spring-held with their edges in snug engagement with the surface of the platen. This mounting includes a pair of supporting plates 23, united intothe platen at the line of writgrally with each other by means of a crossbar 24, so as to form a unitary supporting member. It will be noted in passing that the cross-bar '24 is provided with a rectilinear dip rearwardly to allow room for movement of the ribbon-vibrating mechanism. To mount the wings 22, the plates 23 are bent rectilinearly forwardly and upwardly to form brackets 25. Each of these brackets is provided with a cut-away portion, having on the sides thereof, rearwardly-extending lugs 26, apertured to form bearings for a pin 27. The pin 27 pivots a hinge 28, in each instance, to the corresponding bracket 25. On each of the hinges 28, is mounted one of the Wings 22 by means of screws 29. The upper parts of the wings 22 are bent inwardly to clear the brackets 25 and engage the platen. The wings 22 are held yieldingly in engagement with the platen by means of spiral springs 30, wound around the pins 27 and engaging the brackets 25 at (pne end, and the hinges 28 at their other en Thus, a spring hinge mounting for each of the wings 2 2 is provided, which, while it will maintain a certain amount of pressure suflicient to hold the work-member on the platen, will yield in case any part of the typewriting mechanism on the carriage engages the same during an extreme traveling movement of the carriage. The ends of the wings 22 are dished outwardly for this ioo are being written on, it is desirable to warp them to the platen for at least the full height of the written characters, by holding them ata point somewhat above the line of writing, F or this purpose, thereare' provided holding and guiding fingers 33, one for each wing and separated from each other a suflicient distance, to balance the holding or guiding action. The fingers 33 are piv- 'otally mounted on the brackets 25 in the rear thereof, so as to be swung from a depressed inactive position (Figs. 8 and 10), to a raised active position (Figs. 9 and 11). The fingerys are shifted from one position to the other,by providing each of them witha shifting lever 34, pivotally mounted at 35 on the o posite side of the bracket to the finger. ach lever 34 is provided with a pin 36, extending through a slot 37 into,

engagement with a cam slot 38, provided in the corresponding finger 33. The cam slot 38 is so formed, that when the lever 34 m ses (Figs. 6 and s),

is. in a'depressed position be in a depressed the finger 33 will likewise inactive position, When, however, the lever 34 is moved from the pos'itionofFig. 8 to the position of Fig. 9, the pin 36 will cam up tie finger 33 until it reaches a substantially vertical position. Considering the finger 33 in its work position, the upper.

end of the cani slot 38 has its surfaces sub-v stantially concentric with the pivotal axis 35 of the lever 34', so that the finger 33 cannotbe accidentally depressed, as it would act on the pin 36 perpendicularly to the arc of movement of this pin. The lever 34 is adjusted by means of a handle or fingerpiece 39, which extends through a slot 40 in the corresponding wing 22. lhe lever 34 is yieldingly locked in. its two positions of adjustment by meansof a spring latch 41 having a pin 42 passing through the lever when coming to operative position and away. rrom each other-when moving down in a.

- concealed inactive position. The inner upper corners of the wings 22 are bent upwardly at 45 to enable the fingersto clear the wings, whereby-they maybe in action close to the platen at thesame time the fingers are. The upperends of the fingers are spoon-shaped so as to form an antifriction engagement with the work-member on the plate in order that the gage and fingers may be just as effective in the upper-case position of the platen as in the lower-case, they are 40 mounted so as to shift vertically at the same time that the platen shifts. To do this, the unitary supporting member 23, 24, is connected to be moved by the case-shift frame 15. Joined to the supporting member 23, 24, there is provided a slide 46 forked atits upper end to be rigidly connected to the supporting plates 23 so as to practically form a part of the supporting member, The

upper ends of the tines of the fork are warped forwardly and the'body of the slide itself is warped rearwardly to form a V bend which avoids the type actions. This latter also forms supporting surface for a bracket 47 to which is pivotally connected a link 48. The latter is also pivotally connected to a bracket 49, mounted on the shift rail 16. This forms a flexible connection of the slide, to the shift frame-15, so that when the latter is actuatedby the shift keys 12 to change the platen from lower to upper-case position,-the line gage and holder with the guiding fingers 33 will also be moved vertically substantially the same amount as the cylindrical element at the line of writing on the platen moves, so that the friction incident thereto.

the line gage and other'parts will maintain the same relation-tothe platen.

The slide 46, however, is guided so that its movement will be rectilinear instead of arcuate, like the shift frame 15. This is accomplishedat the upper end, by a guide 50 which forces the supporting member 23, 24, into engagement with the back, face of a segment 51 on which the type-bars 4 are mounted. Lateral movement at the upper end is prevented-by the guide 50 extending forwardly at its sides, as seen at 52 in Fig. 5, to engage-the side edges of the supporting plates 23. @ther guiding means includes the slide 46 which is in the form of a single channel n1emberv53 at its lower end. This channel memberslidesvertically between a.

rib 54 and an anti-friction roller 55 engaging in the channel of the members Inasmuch as the pressure on the upper edge of the line gage and on the fingers 33, tends to move the lower end 53 of the slide 46 rearwardly, the roller 55 acts as a guide preventing such movement and minimizes In view of the fact that the member 53 is channelec, i may also engage the sides of the roller 55 preventing lateral movement of the slide 46 and the parts carried thereby.

The sides ofthe carria e frame have been cut away and reconstr noted as indicated at -56 to allow for a relative traveling movement between the carriage and the wing scales 22 when the latter are in their uppercase positions. This is more particularly described and claimed in any co-pendin application Serial No. 104, i78, filed June '20, 1916 (now Patent No. 1,248,346, dated November 27, 1917 Theoverhead pressure rollers 57 are also shifted upwardly from their former position to clear the fingers 33. These rollers are pivotally mounted on spring guides 58,

which, in turn are mounted. separately on brackets 59. llhe brackets 59 are adjustably mounted on a rod 60, and each includes a rectilinear piece 61 having key-shaped openings 62 in the ends thereof, through which the rod extends, and also an angle iron 63 projecting forwardly and inwardly from the rod 60. The brackets are locked in an adjustable position by friction springs 64 mounted on the bracketsand engaging the rod '60.

When the fingers 33 are in their depressed position, the wings 22, as stated above, yield outwardly against the tension of the springs 30, In orderv that the card maybe held; tightly on the platen when the fingers are raised, this outward movement is prevented by a bend 65 (Figs. 10 and 11) in the lever 34 engaging in front of a tongue 66, extending inwardly from the top of the slot 40.

This locks each of the wings to the associated supporting plate 23.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a combined line gage and work -member holder with auxiliary holding fingers adaptable for usewith various kinds of work-members, and conforming in vertical position with the position of the platen so as to properly coiiperate therewith in both upper and lower-case typewriting.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used withoutothers.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

1. The combination with a platen shiftable between upper and lower-case positions, of a line-gage shiftable to keep pace with the case-shift movements of the platen, a plurality of fingers adapted to cooperate with a work-sheet, and movable upon the linea e between 0 erative and ino erative b p positions, and ad ustable with the line-gage to keep pace with the movements of the platen, and a manually-operable finger-piece for each finger also mounted on said linegage, each connected to its finger and movable'to one position to elevate it and to an- I other position to depress it, and adapted to hold it in either position.

2. The combination with a platen, of a line gage cooperating with said platen, of a finger pivotally mounted on said linegage to cooperate with thework-member on the platen, a lever for shifting said finger between operative and inoperative positions. a pin=and-cam-slot operating connection between said lever and said finger, and a dwell in said cam forming a lock to prevent accidental movement of the finger by acting back on the lever when the finger is in its efiective position.

.3. The'combination with a platen, of a -wing scale cooperating with said platen, a

normally-concealed finger for coiiperating with the work-member on the platen, and means operable from a position in'front of the wing scale, to shift said finger from its concealed position behind the wing scale to a projected active position. j

4. The combination with a supporting bracket in juxtaposition to said platen, of a finger pivotally mounted on. said supporting bracket to hold a work-member on said platen, a'horizontally disposed finger-pica pivotally mounted on said'bracket, and a pin-and-cam-slot connection between said finger and said finger-piece adapted to cause said finger'piece to shift said finger back.

and forth between a horizontal inactive and a vertical active position. i

5. The combination with a platen, of a paper-holding finger cooperating with said platen, a bracket on one side of which said finger is mounted, a lever for operating saidfinger'mounted on the opposite side of said bracket, said finger having a cam slot therein, said bracket having a slot therein, and

a pin on said lever projecting through said slot into said cam slot so that said finger out portion, and a separate hinge, spring and wing mounted thereon.

. 7. The combination with a platen, of a bracket mounted in juxtaposition to said platen, a paper-holding finger mechanism adjustably mounted on said bracket, and a wing scale covering said mechanism and bent into clear said mechanism and said bracket so as to engage the platen.

8. The combination with a platen, of a bracket mounted in juxtaposition to said platen, a wing mounted on said bracket, a work-member-engaging finger adjustably mounted onf said bracket, and a lever mechanism for adjusting said finger, located between said bracket andsaid wing and having a handle projecting through said wing to be operated from the front of said wing. 9. The combination with a platen, of a wing scale cooperating with said platen, a work-'member-engaging finger in back of said wing scale, and mechanism for operating said finger having a handle projecting through said wing scale to be operated from the front of said wing scale. 10.- The combination with a platen, of a line gage and holder cooperating with said platen, a floating support for said line gage, means for adjusting said platen and said line gage simultaneously for upper and lower-case writing, a two-way guide for said support adjacent the top thereof, and a partly enveloped two-way guide at the bot; tom of said support, I

11. The combination with a platen, of a case-shift frame for said platen, a gage to cooperate with said platen in both upper and lower-case positions, a floating support for said gage, a flexible connection from said case-shift frame to said floating sup. port, and guides for said floating support located above and below said connection to.

bling the concomitant movement of. said gage with said platen between lower and upper-case positions, said support having a channel formed therein, and a roller guide engaged in said channel to limit the lateral travels of said support on saidgage while permitting anti-friction vertical movements of said support.

13. The combination with a platen shiftable between upper and lower-case positions, of a line gage and holder cooperating with said platen, a floating frame for said line gage enabling vertical movementswith the vertical movements of the platen, and an anti-friction roller guide for said support.

14:. The combination with a platen, of a line gage and holder cooperating with said platen, a case-shift frame for said platen, a floating support for said line gage, a flexible connection between said shift frame and said floating support, a two-way guide-foisaid support above the flexible connection, and a rib and roller guide engaging said support below the flexible connection.

15. The combination with a platen, of a work member holder cooperating with said platen, a case-shift frame for adjusting said platen and said holder concomitantly between lower and upper-case positions, a support for said holder having a V-bend therein, a link connected to said support at the V-bend and to said shift frame, and sliding guiding means for said support below said V-ben 16. The combination with a platen, of a wing for resiliently e06 crating with the platen, a -finger adjusta ly mounted relatively to said wing, means for shifting said finger to cause it to cooperate with said platen to maintain a work-member properly on said platen, and means associated with said shifting means for automatically looking said wing against movement away from said platen.

17 Thecombination with a platen, of a wing for resiliently cooperating with said platen, a finger adapted to cooperate with said platen to properly maintain a workmember on said platen, shifting means for moving said finger, between operative and inoperative position, and locking means operated by said shifting means adapted to automatically lock said wing against movement away from said platen when said finger is in its active position.

18. The combination with a platen, of a wing cooperating with said platen, a yielding mounting for said wing enabling it to swing transversely away with respect to said platen, a finger cooperating with said platen pivotally mounted to move between active and inactive positions relative to said platen, shifting means for said finger having a bend therein, and a tongue on said wing'engaging in said bend when said finger is in its effective position, so as to lock said wing against spreading movement relative to said platen.

19. The combination with a platen, of a wing adapted to cooperate with said platen, a resilient mounting for said wing adapted to hold it against said platen along one edge thereof, a locking armlying between the wing and the platen, a lug on said wing adapted to be engaged by said arm to lock the wing against the platen, a finger-piece extending from said arm in front of said wing adapted to enable the typist to shift said armto looking or non-locking position, and a paper-guiding finger moved to working position, by said finger-piece when said arm is moved to locking position.

20. The combination with a platen, of a wing adapted to. cooperate with said platen, resilient meansto hold the wing against said platen, a locking means for said wing, a fin r-piece toshift said locking means to locfing position, and a paper-guide connected to said finger-piece to be moved to said card guide and said lock to move the card guide to working position and simultaneously make said lock effective, to hold the support agfiinst resilient 'ielding;

A F ED G. F. UROWSKI. Witnesses:

ARTHUR A. JOHNSON, EDITH B. LIBBEY. 

